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History meets future

Elegant and affluent, Düsseldorf is also one of Germany’s hippest and most outgoing cities. Although its Altstadt (Old Town) was almost completely destroyed in WWII, it has been lovingly restored. There are beautiful buildings and a thriving cultural scene there, and more chic places have appeared in the rejuvenated harbour district, the MedienHafen.

The city is justly famous for its nightlife, and also for its pre-Lent carnival, Christmas markets and high-end boutique shopping. Moreover, it’s also the home of the dangerously quaffable dark amber beer, Altbier, which is generally designed to be consumed in quantity.

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Top 10 sights in Düsseldorf

Altstadt

Although the destruction of WWII meant few buildings in the Old Town were left standing, it was rebuilt using historic plans on the original foundation walls, and is as impressive now as it ever was.

Burgplatz

Burgplatz Düsseldorf Germany Show on map

Surrounded by restored buildings on three sides and the Rhine on the fourth, Burgplatz (Castle Square) is one of the most impressive squares in Germany. Only one white tower of the actual castle remains however – it’s now the Museum of Navigation.

Hofgarten

Hofgartenstraße 1 40212 Düsseldorf Germany Show on map

At the north end of Königsallee, this large urban park is filled with trees and miniature lakes – a great place to relax away from the sprawl of the city all around.

Königsallee

Königsallee Düsseldorf Germany Show on map

The city’s most elegant boulevard has gained a reputation for its high-end fashion outlets. Some call it Germany’s Champs-Élysées, but even that famous Paris thoroughfare doesn’t have a canal running down its centre, like the “Kö”.

Classic Remise Düsseldorf

A must for lovers of historic vehicles, this museum is filled with hundreds of classic and vintage cars from every era. Everything is housed in a huge circular building that in a former life was a roundhouse for servicing steam locomotives.

Rhine Tower (Rheinturm)

For great views across the city and all over the surrounding region, head for the Panorama Level of this 240m-high (787ft) tower. If you get hungry, there’s a revolving restaurant and lounge bar.

Rheinufer

Rheinuferpromenade 40213 Düsseldorf Germany Show on map

Stretching for 10km (6 miles) along the banks of the river, the Rhine promenade path is a great place for walking, cycling and rollerblading. The less energetic can simply relax and watch the sunset with a drink on one of the many café terraces.

MedienHafen

Towards the southern end of the Rheinufer promenade, the city’s former harbour has been rebooted into a trendy area of restaurants, bars and clubs. A few older buildings have been preserved, but the most striking highlight is the Neuer Zollhof, three new and oddly crumpled buildings designed by Frank Gehry.

Neanderthal Museum

Just east of the city in the town of Mettmann, this multi-media museum houses relics left by the Neanderthals. It’s built in the valley that gave the prehistoric people their name, on the spot where the most famous fossil was found.

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Country Information

Country overview

Still misunderstood by many, Germany stands as one of the most endlessly engaging countries on the continent. Anyone expecting a homogenous nation conforming to rigid Teutonic stereotypes is in for a shock. As a travel destination it’s somewhere with huge personality, notable for a clutch of truly lovable cities, culture served up in hefty portions and rural scenery so heart-melting you’ll be left bemused why some people still think of the place as lacking allure.

It’s the country’s urban highlights that tend to draw the attention first. Berlin is the very definition of a dynamic city, having forged a goodtime reputation for ground-breaking creativity while still keeping sight of it’s past. Elsewhere, the likes of Cologne, Munich and Hamburg are rich in historical buildings, eyes-to-the-future nightlife and excellent gastronomy.

Geography

Germany borders Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland. The northwest has a coastline on the North Sea while the Baltic coastline in the northeast stretches from the Danish to the Polish border.

The country is divided into 16 states (Bundesländer) and has an exceedingly varied landscape. In what was once known as West Germany, the Rhine, Bavaria and the Black Forest stand as the three most famous features, while in the east, the country is lake-studded with undulating lowlands.

River basins extend over a large percentage of the region, and some of Europe’s most prominent rivers flow through the country. These include the Elbe, the Danube and the Rhine.

The highest point in the country is the 2,962m (9,718ft) peak of Zugspitze Mountain in the Bavarian Alps. Cable cars run to the summit – it can also be climbed.

General Information

Key facts

Population: 81147265

Population Density (per sq km): 227

Capital: Berlin.

Language

German is the official language. Regional dialects often differ markedly from standard German. Minority languages include Danish and Sorbic, while some English and French is also spoken.

Whit Monday: 25. May 2015 Corpus Christi: 04. June 2015 Assumption: 15. August 2015 Day of German Unity: 03. October 2015 Day of Reformation: 31. October 2015 All Saints’ Day: 01. November 2015 Repentance Day: 18. November 2015 Christmas Day: 25. December 2015

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Getting around

Public Transport

The efficient bus, tram and metro (U-Bahn) network is operated by Rheinbahn (tel: 01803 504 030, www.rheinbahn.de). There is also a suburban railway (S-Bahn). Buy tickets from vending machines at tram and U-Bahn stops, and validate them before use. Short trip (Kurzstrecke) tickets are valid for 30 minutes; A-class (Preisstufe A) tickets for 90 minutes; and Day tickets (Tagesticket) until 2am the following day. The DüsseldorfCard tourist card gives you unlimited free travel within the city.

Taxis

Pick up a taxi from a designated rank, or call a cab company such as Taxi Düsseldorf (tel: (0211) 33333 / 99999) or Rhein Taxi (tel: (0211) 212121). Tipping isn’t necessary.

Climate and best time to visit Düsseldorf

Cosmopolitan Düsseldorf is open for business year-round. Winters can be cold however, and while summers are generally warm, rain is a regular feature. The city is famous for its festivals and can be full to bursting when one is on. It celebrates the pre-Lent carnival with particular vigour; every year from the second to the third weekend in July, some four million visitors come to the Kirmes funfair held on the banks of the Rhine; and the annual Christmas markets in December are hugely popular. There are also major trade fairs throughout the year, and if you visit during one you may find hotel prices heading skywards.

Climate & best time to visit Germany

As with most European countries, Germany is a year-round destination but not especially dependable weather-wise. In general terms though, it’s temperate throughout the country with warm summers and cold winters – prolonged periods of frost or snow are rare. Rain falls throughout the year, with much of Germany experiencing its maximum rainfall over the high summer months. Unpredictability, then, is a major factor. The average January daytime temperature is 3°C (38°F) and in July is 22°C (72°F). Extremes commonly reach -10°C (5°F) in winter and 35°C (95°F) in the summer months.

While Munich might be considerably further south than Berlin, the fact that the Bavarian capital sits at a much higher altitude means the two cities have broadly comparable summers. The highest annual temperatures tend to be in the southwest, where there’s almost a Mediterranean feel to the landscape at times. Unsurprisingly, this is where much of Germany’s wine is grown.

May through to September are the most popular months in terms of tourist numbers, and certainly hold the most appeal for visitors aiming to spend significant periods of time outdoors. However, the spring and autumn shoulder seasons also hold real attraction for those who want the promise of decent(ish) weather without the tourist levels. The winter holidays are also a big draw in their way, due in no small part to their attendant Christmas markets. Peak season for ski areas is from December through to the end of March.

Away from the mountains, January through to April will appeal to those who enjoy the benefits of uncrowded attractions, although be aware that cities like Berlin rarely witness "slow" periods at any time of year. Prices tend to be slightly higher over the summer months. One other thing to bear in mind is that hotel rates can increase when large trade shows are in town (potentially a problem in Frankfurt, for example).

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Phone calls & Internet

Telephone/Mobile Telephone

Dialing Code: +49

Telephone

Local and international calls can be made from phone boxes in towns and cities. These usually accept both coins and pre-paid cards (available at post offices and other outlets). In larger cities, you’ll often be able to make international calls from internet cafes too.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with many international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good. It is illegal to use a hand-held mobile telephone while driving. If you’re going to be in Germany for a long period of time, consider obtaining a local SIM card.

Internet

Internet is readily available; there are many Internet cafes all over the country. Large Internet access centres exist in most main cities. Most hotels also provide facilities, either included in the room rate or charged separately.

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Shopping in Düsseldorf

Königsallee is on of the most famous shopping streets in Germany, best known for its exclusive designer goods stores and fashion boutiques. Suburban districts – particularly Ackerstraße in Flingern – are good places to find cheaper but trendier outlets of up-and-coming young clothes designers. Most of the department store chains are clustered around the Liesegangstraße/Schadowstraße intersection.

Markets

There are several Christmas markets each December, but the biggest centres around the Altstadt. For more everyday needs, you’ll find a regular market every day on Carlsplatz, on the southern edge of the Altstadt.

Shopping Centres

The Kö Center (Königsallee 28-30) is full to the brim with trendy boutiques and chic fashion label stores, as is the nearby Kö Galerie (Königsallee 60). The stilwerk arcade (Grünstraße 15) has dozens of designer goods and lifestyle accessories stores under one roof, while Schadow Arkaden (Schadowstraße 11) is the place for more down-to-earth high-street stores.

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Traveller etiquette

Handshaking is customary, and it is considered rude to address people by their first name unless invited to do so. Normal courtesies should be observed. Before eating, it is normal to say “gutenAppetit” to the other people at the table to which the correct reply is “danke, gleichfalls” (“Thank you, the same to you”). If you’ve been invited to eat at a German house, it is customary to present the hostess with unwrapped flowers (according to tradition, you should always give an uneven number, and it is worth noting that red roses are exclusively a lover’s gift).

In shops and other businesses, courtesy dictates that visitors should utter a greeting such as “gutentag”

(or “grüssgott” in Bavaria) before saying what it is that they want; to leave without saying “aufwiedersehen” or “tschüss” can also cause offence.

Similarly, when making a telephone call, asking for the person you want to speak to without stating first who you are is impolite. Casual wear is widely acceptable, but more formal dress is required for some restaurants, the opera, theatre, casinos and important social functions. Smoking is prohibited where notified and on public transport and in most public buildings.

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Health

There’s nothing to mark out German produce as particularly risky to general health (although it has a partly founded reputation for being fatty). Tap water is safe to drink.

Other Risks

Tick-borne encephalitis is present in forested areas of southern Germany; vaccination is advisable. Rabies is present; look out for ‘Tollwut’ signs. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered.

During the summer months, sunburn can be a problem. The southwest generally draws the highest temperatures. The usual precautions apply: use a generous amount of sunscreen and be sensible about how long you spend in direct sunlight. Be aware that a breezy day can sometimes mask high temperatures.

If walking over a long distance in warm weather, it’s advisable to drink – and carry – plenty of water and wear appropriate clothing, including a sun hat. Blisters can be another problem for hikers. These can often occur if new walking shoes are being worn across a long distance. Ideally footwear should be worn in before the trip.

As a counterpoint to the balminess of the summer, German winters can be fairly severe. This is generally truer the further east you travel. If you’re arriving during the coldest months of the year, ensure you have adequate clothing. At any time of year, in fact, temperatures can be unpredictable – even in July and August, it makes sense to have a sweater (and maybe a brolly too) to hand.

Other health problems that inexperienced travellers might reasonably encounter are the various knock-on effects of too much alcohol consumption. The risk, unsurprisingly, is particularly prevalent among those attending Munich’s Oktoberfest. Be aware that some beer’s ABV levels can be 6 or 7%, so should be treated with respect.